R4P2 Starting Weight 184.4
Yesterday – 171.6
Today – 170.6
1.0 lb LOSS Overnight
4.8 lb UNDER LIW of Round Three (175.4)
13.8 Lost Since Start of R4 (VLCD) 01/22/08
80.2 Total Lost Since Start of Protocol (VLCD) 06/26/07

Here is my menu for yesterday. This is what I had:

I am such a creature of habit! Coffee and Half and Half, apple and a half a grapefruit. Lunch was Ground Beef Patty with Lettuce Salad / Mustard Dressing. Dinner was a Creole Catfish. I think I may be done with this menu for awhile, I will probably change things up a bit today! HA!

A total of around 460 calories divided this way: 11 Fat, 48 Carbs, 45 Protein

GO HERE AND SIGN UP FOR UPCOMING HCG NEWSLETTER!!! It’s coming honest! Just waiting on my partner to put the finishing touches on it!

Let’s not forget the HCG BOOK CLUB – join in on the fun! If you haven’t signed up for it yet, please do so now. eMail Address Form

Our FAQ Question this go round is the following, please spend some time if you can answering this survey:

Thanks goes to Andrea for answering the survey! Any others willing to approach this subject?

Foods on Phase 2 – Do Some Work Better Than Others?

Another One Bites The Dust! OMG – 80.2 POUNDS GONE!!!

I am pleased mind you, but seriously, WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING RIGHT??? I mean, come on, what are we supposed to expect come day 10 on the protocol???

What more needs to be said? Here are the numbers for those of you keeping track:

Day 9 (Complete) – Round 4 = 7.48% Body Weight Loss
Day 9 (Complete) – Round 3 = 6.21% Body Weight Loss
Day 9 (Complete) – Round 2 = 5.32% Body Weight Loss
Day 9 (Complete) – Round 1 = 4.55% Body Weight Loss

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

HA! I am sure you are going to go through the day today humming this song, and every time you do, you will think of this post, good thing, cause it’s a good one, if I do say so myself. Let me just add, this is a long one. Bear with me.

There are times during the day where something crosses my minds path and I will be like, shoot, that would be something I should talk about in my blog. Sometimes the thoughts disappear shortly without another interest, but then sometimes they grab me and wont let go. Yesterday, I had a thought that wouldn’t give me peace it was hanging on so hard.

Let me explain.

Yesterday was a good day. It really was. It was one of those days that seems everything is falling into place for some unknown reason. I was ‘flying‘ and it was working – I was getting my housework done in record time, I was ‘chatting’ with friends and conversations were motivating and stimulating.

One of my ’15 minutes’ (you really must check out FlyLady if you don’t know how powerful 15 minutes can be) scheduled yesterday was for me to go through a pile of clothes that were sent to me by my SIL – some of them used, but most of them new. There was a Dillard’s that went out of business in the area they live and things were marked down dramatically. When they first got here over the weekend, I quickly went through them and saw that there were all 14′s and so mentally I said, well, this ain’t the round for these clothes, it will be NEXT round, so I wasn’t anxious to go through them right away. But yesterday was the day I said I would finally handle them.

Before I go on, yes, I know I am wearing at the moment a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans that are a size 14 – but GV jeans always run bigger and I will tell you why. For us women that have “back” (big butts) GV jeans are the BEST jeans because she designs her jeans with room for the back trunk. Most other designers feel they must design jeans for people with flat butts, so us big butt girls need to usually get a size larger for it to fit over the butt area. Then we have to wear a belt because there is a gap at the waist. All the other pants I am wearing right now are 16′s.

I came across a pair of what I like to call ‘Daisy Duke’ jean shorts. I call them that because they are SHORT Shorts, and when I first looked at them I was like RIGHT, I haven’t worn jean shorts in decades, like I am ever gonna wear shorts this short, for heavens sake, I have to hide these fat legs of mine. You know as well as I do that when we are obese, we try to cover as much skin as we can, we don’t want anyone seeing all that skin, I mean come on, they might think we are fat if they see skin! (Go ahead, tell me I am not the only one that reasoned this way)

Some alien force possessed me to try them on. O M G – THEY FIT!!! For your viewing pleasure is me in all my glory with these shorts, and might I add a medium top that was sent along also (remember, clickable for larger view):

My legs? They are doing that wiggly jiggly thing right now, which is ok with me because we all know that means that the HCG is doing it’s thing. So keep that in mind, but can you believe I could get those dang things on??? I really thought when I looked at them, NO STINKING WAY, but YES, they are on.

Right after I took the picture, I had a brief 5 minute cry. I was beside myself with joy! But then reality stepped in and my mind took over and that blasted song POPPED into my head at that moment. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Time May Change Me, But I Can’t Trace Time

When the muse hit me like it did yesterday, and then wouldn’t let go, I had to ponder what the heck did this mean, why was I supposed to write about this? I couldn’t understand this lyric, much less how it applied to what was going on at this particular moment in my life.

Thank goodness for the internet world! As I was sitting here at my computer, staring at the screen yesterday afternoon, a little button popped up from my Yahoo window, and it was announcing to me that EweWho had just logged in. I said to myself, she is never on Yahoo, in fact, I invited her as a buddy like months ago and she never accepted the invitation so I just assumed she never used Yahoo Messenger, so since I was sitting here I opened up a chat window with her to say hi!

One thing lead to another and I told her about the Size 14 Daisy Dukes and I sent her the picture. I asked her about this lyric, and what her thoughts were on why this was hitting me as hard as it did. Chatting with her helped put the perspective on why it was that particular lyric that struck a chord with me.

Over time, roughly 7 months, time has changed me. I have changed in so many ways, it’s not even funny. I have changed my eating habits, I have changed my emotional well being, I have changed my self esteem, I have changed my confidence, I have changed my physical body, I have changed my wardrobe, I have changed my medical condition, all profound changes to make me who I am today.

But I can’t trace time … I can’t copy the time that has changed me because I am no longer the person I was. If I try to ‘trace’ the steps (time) that got me to this moment it wouldn’t be the same because I am a different person. All we have is this moment. We are not guaranteed a future and we cannot relive the past. We are here in the now. We MUST make every moment count. Thank goodness hindsight is 20/20 – it is because of my living in the NOW that I am where I am today. It is because I have followed this protocol and treated it as a gift that I have gotten from a size 24 to a size 14 in 7 months. It is because I know I can’t ever relive this moment that I stay true to the protocol. It is because I know that my time is valuable (after all I will be 46 this year) that each and every day is precious and this miracle that has crossed my path is worth doing right.

You can’t trace time. You can’t make up for lost time. Lost time is just that, it’s lost and gone forever. Stay the course. You do that, time will be your friend. It will pamper you. It will caress you.

Time may change me, but I can’t trace time. You can’t copy what time changes in you. Deep, I know, but think about it.

On to my commenter’s – these are my responses to yesterday’s comments:

smacmo – I really need to get to your blog! I have been told that before, but I said I wouldn’t do it until I was done and maintained for at least 6 months, then I would really know this works! Aren’t I just the silliest thing???

Lili – Aww girl, you rule!

CB – Thanks girl, you will be here shortly!

Mary – Thanks!

Wendy – I am supposed to be doing 26 days, but things may cut it short, I wont know until this weekend is over so I will be sure to let the community know my plans.

Jenn – goodness girl, what can be said that hasn’t been said already. You are my heart, did you know that?

Mariel - AH YES! Now I know who you are! Thank you so much for stopping by and reading, hey, this thing keeps me honest ya know???

Monica – you have no idea how fortunate you are! Give that man a hug from all of us! I owe you an email, it will be sometime this morning!

Renee – Thanks!

Becca – I sure can’t wait to get to your blog! That is my midmorning fun! Thanks for the kind words, and girl, you are TALL!!! You go girl! Thanks!

Time is on my side, Biz

R4P2 Starting Weight 184.4
Yesterday – 172.6
Today – 171.6
1.0 lb LOSS Overnight
3.8 lb UNDER LIW of Round Three (175.4)
12.8 Lost Since Start of R4 (VLCD) 01/22/08
79.2 Total Lost Since Start of Protocol (VLCD) 06/26/07

Here is my menu for yesterday. This is what I had:

I pretty much followed the same pattern as yesterday, but not quite as much coffee and cream. An apple and a half a grapefruit. Lunch was Ground Beef Patty with Lettuce Salad / Mustard Dressing. Dinner was a Creole Catfish – Oh and I had coffee with half and half (1 tbsp). Before you all think that I am trying to mimic my day yesterday, I only did it because I have a TON of ground beef to use up, and the same with the Cat Fish!

A total of around 476 calories divided this way: 11 Fat, 50 Carbs, 46 Protein

GO HERE AND SIGN UP FOR UPCOMING HCG NEWSLETTER!!! It’s coming honest! Just waiting on my partner to put the finishing touches on it!

Let’s not forget the HCG BOOK CLUB – join in on the fun! If you haven’t signed up for it yet, please do so now. eMail Address Form

Our FAQ Question this go round is the following, please spend some time if you can answering this survey:

Thanks goes to Katrina, Kat Lee, and Mary Lou for answering the survey! Any others willing to approach this subject?

Foods on Phase 2 – Do Some Work Better Than Others?

Where Did THAT Come From???

Seriously. This is day 9 for goodness sake. How can I still be having this kind of success this late in the game? Jenn asked me a question yesterday – She said “So does this round “feel” like R3?” – my answer to her was – “Believe it or not Jenn, this round is screwing with my mind big time. I am like in this perpetual weirdness phase right now, not believing it’s real. Kinda like my first few weeks on Round 1 – waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s like, can this really be happening to me AGAIN???? There is no way on God’s Green Earth that this can be as successful a FOURTH time??? I am in awe of myself, does that sound weird??? I don’t mean it to, it’s just surreal.”

This morning I got on the scale, saying to myself, 171something, 171something, but in the back of my mind fully prepared to see a smaller loss, after all, this is DAY 9 – so seeing 171.6, a whole pound gone, was just too good to be true. This protocol is truly a blessing. You people out there need to thank whoever it is that you believe your higher power to be for giving this gift to you. It’s truly a gift.

Are you treating it that way? Are you appreciating it as a GIFT? If not, then by all means, you need to wrap your head around what it means to get a gift of this magnitude and treat it as such.

For those keeping up with the numbers:

Day 8 (Complete) – Round 4 = 6.94% Body Weight Loss
Day 8 (Complete) – Round 3 = 5.80% Body Weight Loss
Day 8 (Complete) – Round 2 = 4.57% Body Weight Loss
Day 8 (Complete) – Round 1 = 4.55% Body Weight Loss

Diet Sabotage

We all know about “Self Sabotage” right? I have approached this subject in the past, but under the guise of “Fear of Success” – which is pretty much the same thing. I have always been one that tends not put the blame for my mistakes on other people because I am a free moral agent, able to make my own choices, so ultimately I am the one to blame for any issues.

Well by now you folks know how I operate. I see something happening in our little community and automatically it becomes fodder for my brain and I want to research it. So I saw some “Diet Sabotage” taking place, and of course, here goes the ole fingers and mouse looking for information on how to deal with it.

Come on, we all get “Diet Sabotage” from all angels. Whether it’s from our family or friends that tell us “You look GOOD! You don’t need to lose anymore” – to the more subtle husband bringing home flowers and chocolates, when he just KNOWS you are on a “Diet”. Whatever the source is, we have to know how to deal with these SABOTEURS.

Most of the time, they have no idea they are doing the sabotaging, not consciously anyway. With the example of the husband bringing home flowers AND chocolate, I am sure it’s more of a “well honey, you have done so well, here is something for you because you have worked so hard on this for so long”.

But sometimes, the giving could have links to something deeper.

Please understand that the following can come from either a male or female point of view.

I found a very interesting article from the New York Times from back in 1993 and it’s worth a read:

Diet Sabotage: The New Battle of the Sexes

Just for kicks, I sent this article to Lili – we all know that Lili is pretty much wise beyond her years, and I felt I needed her input on this one. She has this really unique way of getting to the meat of in issue and provide you with a straight, no holds barred way of looking at things. Lili does not have a pretentious bone in her body and so I value her opinion, and besides that, she is older than me! (HA! Only by less than a year!)

Anyhoo, very interesting reply she sent back to me. I have asked her permission to repost her reply here and she said GO FOR IT! Thanks Lili!

First she says this:

I think it brings up some valid points. My boyfriend complains that we haven’t had dinner together since late last summer — when I started Hcg at the end of august, did P2, then P3, then P2 again, then began to eat according to my appetite. Which ended up being eating my main meal at around 3:00 pm. He would get home and want to make a huge dinner, and I’d say “sorry. But I’ll sit with you”. He finally confronted me, saying it was really a big issue for him, that we did not sit down and eat dinner together at night. I explained my side, and said “we’ll have to work out a compromise. I am not a huge dinner eater anymore — and it’s working for my weight. But perhaps I can have a salad, or sometimes eat dinner with you”. I still have another round of P2 (or 2) left, and we agreed to address the issue again when I’m done, but it’s interesting — the article is right — if the tables were turned, I’d adapt to his schedule. It’d be a no-brainer.

WOW – can you see how compromising your position can lead to going back into habits that got you fat in the first place? I have had to deal with this same issue in my home. My husband prefers to eat later, like around 7pm or 8pm – well that just doesn’t work on the protocol, in fact, for life! I have told him time and time again that I have to eat no later than 6pm. If I eat any later, there isn’t enough time between dinner and bed and that is not good for the body.

Then she goes further:

I am NOT willing to go back to nightly huge meals. I am willing to compromise. He’s usually reasonable, so it will hopefully work out fine. But -if it’s keeping my weight loss or keeping him — well, girl, there’s alot more fish out in that sea. Call me a *beeyatch* (I prefer “determined woman”) but I’ve worked too hard to figure out my body and health to give it up for a man, even one that I love as much as I do him.

Now see there? Ultimately, we do have to make a stand, or we are putting ourselves in the same place we were when we were FAT – and do we want to be FAT again??? We have to let go of our old selves and embrace the new ones. We have found what is a miracle to get us to the weight we never dreamed we could be – don’t give it away.

Oh but there is MORE!

Guys don’t realize that we women just don’t care that much about their bodies — my guy has a little gut, is balding, and just so cute in his little red arty glasses and geeky bow ties! He should stand up straighter, exercise more, and I adore every inch of his 55-year-old body — with all its imperfections.

Men are funny creatures sometimes. They are not as forthcoming as us women on their feelings and such and they tend to hide what it is they really want. So we feel compelled to try to mold ourselves to what we FEEL is what they want. Well, in regards to this protocol, and for the life of maintaining? We can’t do that anymore. We need to make a stand. It’s our bodies, and until we are comfortable in them, NO ONE else is gonna be comfortable either.

When MOMMA isn’t happy? AIN’T NO ONE HAPPY!

There, nuff said.

Little update on JPS - she broke into the 140′s yesterday!!! She is FLYING HIGH!

On to my commenter’s – these are my responses to yesterday’s comments:

Lili – Yeah, just going on it for 3 weeks and it answers all their questions! THANKS for yesterday, OMG – I LOVE YOU!!!

Wendy – Infomercial? OMG – NO!!! I don’t want to be lumped in with KT!!! HA! Thanks girlie girl! You size 8 thing you! Does that just blow your mind???

Ed & Jenn – I learned a while back, when the student is ready the teacher will appear. Girl, you have got the world at your fingertips! Just keep doing what your doing with your blog. The more information on success we have out there, the more this will become widespread and then they will be BEGGING us for our information!

Monica – HA! I will take and post pics next Tuesday. I didn’t feel right taking pics until I had at least 5 lbs under the last pics I took at my LIW! LOL – there will be a time when your people will have to stand up and take notice. Right now, just bask in the sunshine of the protocol!

Renee – HA! Isn’t it amazing? All it takes is just a couple of days of eating normally and we are like, OMG, when can I go back to the protocol??? ROFL – we are such creatures aren’t we???

Becca – HA! Oh yeah, sleep is the KEY! Girl! Get some rest!!! Lili and I were talking yesterday on the phone, she tells me that your 5’7″, I think that is what she said? Is that true? I don’t know why I thought you were shorter than that! HA!

Have a wonderful day! Biz

R4P2 Starting Weight 184.4
Yesterday – 174.0
Today – 172.6
1.4 lb LOSS Overnight
2.8 lb UNDER LIW of Round Three (175.4)
11.8 Lost Since Start of R4 (VLCD) 01/22/08
78.2 Total Lost Since Start of Protocol (VLCD) 06/26/07

Here is my menu for yesterday. This is what I had:

An apple and a half a grapefruit. Lunch was Ground Beef Patty with Lettuce Salad / Mustard Dressing. Dinner was a Creole Catfish – Oh and I had coffee with half and half (1 tbsp) and then some Non Dairy Creamer after that.

A total of around 499 calories divided this way: 12 Fat, 54 Carbs, 55 Protein

GO HERE AND SIGN UP FOR UPCOMING HCG NEWSLETTER!!! It’s coming honest! Just waiting on my partner to put the finishing touches on it!

Let’s not forget the HCG BOOK CLUB – join in on the fun! If you haven’t signed up for it yet, please do so now. eMail Address Form

Our FAQ Question this go round is the following, please spend some time if you can answering this survey:

Thanks goes to Lili, Myisha and Becca for answering the survey. Any others willing to approach this subject?

Foods on Phase 2 – Do Some Work Better Than Others?

Now That Is What I Am Talking About!

HA! See what a little sleep will do to a girl??? It will let her lose. Ok folks, today it really hit me, do you see how close I am to the 160′s??? That pretty much BLEW my mind! It just became real, seriously real and I am about to freak. What is even MORE freaky than that? I have less than 25 lbs to lose to make it to goal. Do you know how easy it sounds to have to lose just 25 lbs??? (22.6 to be exact)

That’s not really fair though. My goal weight is arbitrary, I had to pick something so I said 150 – it sounded like a great number to shoot for, after all that was 100 lbs from where I started. But we all know I am going until the HCG tells me to stop. And if it tells me to keep on going past 150, which I have a suspicion it will, I will keep on keepin’ on!

The numbers don’t lie:

Day 7 (Complete) – Round 4 = 6.40% Body Weight Loss
Day 7 (Complete) – Round 3 = 5.28% Body Weight Loss
Day 7 (Complete) – Round 2 = 3.54% Body Weight Loss
Day 7 (Complete) – Round 1 = 3.75% Body Weight Loss

Everyone, say it with me: BIZ IS KICKING BUTT AND TAKING NAMES! HA!

Success in 21 Days

You folks have all heard it: “Try it for 30 days, if your not completely satisfied, you get your money back” or better yet this one is from the software industry: “Try this piece of software for 30 days before you have to make a commitment to buy”. Ever wonder why companies offer this jewel?

It’s because they are so sure of their product that they are convinced if you only TRY it, you will like it and then you will BUY it. That is simple logic and it works really well. Who in their right mind wouldn’t try anything for free? Or with the promise that you can have your money back should it not live up to what you want.

I have approached telling people about HCG in real life using this little gem. There are several people right now (4 total) that I had a little talk with them to give HCG a try for 3 weeks. That is all I am asking, just 3 weeks out of your life to see if you can handle the program. (Don’t worry, I explain to them the whole 26 day thing)

My reasoning is this. We all know that it takes 21 days for us to develop new habits. If they give this protocol a chance for 21 days, they are going to see miraculous results, and I know they will want to continue.

Those of us that have 100 or more pounds to lose, even with this protocol, the end seems so daunting. But if you split it up into 20 lbs increments (very realistic on 21 days – especially if you are heavier), then to think you could lose 20% of what you need to in just 3 weeks, OMG – that is simply miraculous.

And really, who couldn’t follow this plan for just 21 days??? We ALL know it’s pretty simple those first 3 weeks. Shoot the weight loss itself is a huge motivator! Getting on the scale every day and seeing losses big and small convinces us to do another day. And if we commit to only 21 days, the end of the phase is in sight and it makes it that much easier to maintain control!

Our minds are funny things. Yes, we have to play around with them to get them to work in the way we ultimately want to go. When you think, geesh, I only have 14 more days to go, smcak, that’s EASY! When you think, I can stop injections in 14 days and eat what I want (reasonably), you’re like BRING IT ON.

When you let your mind focus on the baby steps of the future, but the big pictures of the past – it’s amazing how much stronger our commitment is. And what I know will happen at the end of those 21 days, they will be like, sign me up for another week! I just know it, don’t you???

Once people live this life for 21 days, see that it is indeed possible to live (and lose) on 500 cals, see their bodies begin to transform, they are SOLD. Lock, stock and barrel. If they follow the program, I can guarantee them results. Miraculous results. SUCCESS!

Of course, I don’t tell them they can get their money back. MUHAHAHAHA!!!

What do you think?

On to my commenter’s – these are my responses to yesterday’s comments:

Lili - I just love the way you threw that “BTW – I’m starting P2 today” – like I wouldn’t notice it or something??? Sorry I missed your phone call yesterday, will get with you today!

Monica - yeah! I remember that dream you had. And when I woke up and thought about mine, my mind immediately went to yours and I was like, is there something to this? I am wondering if your right, if when our sleep is interrupted, does our losing process interrupted too? Interesting.

Marshall - It all ties together doesn’t it??? Well, I had a great nights sleep last night and had a pretty powerful weight loss today, so maybe you can play “catch up”?

Ed and Jenn – OH YEAH! That was YOU with the Mt Dew! LOL – I forgot about that! We are cyber connected, how weird is that??? I was shocked to find out JPS weighs herself multiple times during the day. ROFL

Wendy – ME and SLEEP? Let me just tell you this, I have ALWAYS needed my sleep to function. In high school I used to come home and take a nap even before I could do my homework. And still I was in bed by 9pm. I wish I could survive on less sleep. Geesh, life would be grand!

Mary – Like Wendy said, it’s all subjective. The trick is to find out what YOUR needs are and then MEET them!

BB – Nice to have you back again! I think you may be right on the REM thing, that is when most of the restful sleep comes from, probably letting the body processes that are important take over.

Becca – Do you find yourself a bit more sleepy on HCG (after the first week that is) then off? I do. During my 2nd round I noticed it more than any other so far. I just had really REALLY good sleep. Like making up for lost time or something???

Make it a good one people!

Biz